PPBF: What Makes A Monster?

And now on to today's Perfect Picture Book Friday pick*

What Makes A Monster?, by Jess Keating

What Makes A Monster?
Discovering the World's Scariest Creatures

Written Jess Keating
Illustrated by David DeGrand

Alfred A. Knopf, Penguin Random House, 2017
Ages 6-9, 48 pp


Themes:
Animals, Science, Fears


Opening:
Don't high-five the AYE-AYE. Also known as "the demon primate," the aye-aye has a dangerous tool on hand. Or rather, its hand is a dangerous too.

Synopsis:
Like its predecessor, Pink Is For Blobfish, this book highlights animals by theme, with large photos, detailed scientific facts, and light-hearted trivia. What Makes A Monster? examines dangerous and scary creatures, from Komodo dragons to prairie dogs. The author carefully chooses animals we think of as scary and others we think of as cute or harmless. She includes varied back matter to make her points that we are usually afraid of what we don't understand and many of our animal-related fears are unfounded.


What I Love:
While not as clever as the previous book, I think WMAM? will engage readers because of the sensational nature of both the material and the format. Non-fiction books which present scientific facts in a humorous way are always popular. While I was disappointed by the lack of variety in the animals and thought the message was sometimes heavy-handed, I learned plenty of new things and "remembered" some animal facts I had forgotten. And kids will love this. That's what counts, after all.


Bonus: 

You could buy actual edible Jellyfish,
but I prefer this pita version from JDaniel'sMom

1. For more than you ever thought you could know about the author AND artist behind What Makes a Monster, visit Design of the Picture Book's entertaining interview. And for more zaniness, read Colby Sharp's 5, 4, 3, 2, 1-sentence interview with Jess Keating about Pink Is For Blobfish.

2. CelebratePicture Books has done a beautiful Q & A with the author an and in-depth look at her books and process.

3. Layers of Learning posted a bird anatomy worksheet, and Enchanted Learning has one for ant parts: perfect to go along with the Greater Honeyglide and the Zombie Ant found in the book.

4. You'll find all the picture book nominees for the CYBILS Award on Perfect Picture Book Fridays. Here's what you may have missed so far:
Hatching Chicks in Room 6
Once Upon A Jungle
Shark Lady
Dazzle Ships
Danza!

5. I'm always disappointed when the photographers whose work goes into a picture book are forgotten. Get inspired by 13 year-old Josiah Launstein, nature photographer on Shutterbug. Then take these tips from Mother Nature Network and try your hand and capturing some critters on film.

6. Check out these and more Perfect Picture Books at your local library.

Reviewed by Andrea

Reviewed by Joanne

Reviewed by Julie

Reviewed by Joanna

Reviewed by Andrea

Reviewed by Sue

Reviewed by Stacy

Reviewed by Joanna

Have you reviewed a Perfect Picture Book along this theme? Please leave the link in the comments below. Thanks!

Check out all the recommended titles for Perfect Picture Book Friday
for Friday, May 4, 2018 available on Susanna Leonard Hill's blog.

*As a CYBILS second round judge, I was asked to review a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

PPBF: Shark Lady

And now on to today's Perfect Picture Book Friday pick

Shark Lady, a biography of biologist, Eugenie Clark

Shark Lady
The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became The Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist

Written Jess Keating
Illustrated by Marta Alvarez Miguens

Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2017
Ages 4-8, 40 pp, 730L


Themes:
Ocean, Animals, Biography


Opening:
It was Saturday, and Eugenie wanted to stay at the aquarium forever. She wanted to smell the damp, salty air and stare at the glittery rainbow of fish. She wanted to keep watching her favorite animals...The sharks.

Synopsis:
Shark Lady follows scientist Eugenie Clark's life from fascination with sharks as a child to her ground-breaking studies as a marine biologist. The book focuses on the misrepresentation of sharks and uses it to strengthen the theme: that Eugenie Clark was also misunderstood. As a woman scientist, she faced opposition as well as challenges she set herself in her field work. The back matter includes a timeline, shark facts, and other interesting bits.


What I Love:
With multiple degrees and awards to her credit, Clark is a great role model for young readers. Keating's text is readable, and re-readable. The art is playful and colorful, perfect for attracting readers of both sexes, even ones who aren't interested in the subject. I love the underlying idea that we look too much on the outward appearance and tend to misjudge both animals and people. While Keating's What Makes A Monster? is somewhat heavy-handed, Shark Lady sets just the right balance. The entire book is designed to be engaging from the charming endpapers to the clever "Shark Bites" of information in the back where the author includes, not just more information, but deeper, funnier, or more kid-friendly factoids.


You'll find all the picture book nominees for the CYBILS Award* on Perfect Picture Book Fridays. Here's what you may have missed so far:
Hatching Chicks in Room 6
Once Upon A Jungle


Bonus: 

Craft a paper fin hat to wear
during the playground games.
Courtesy of Susan's Site

1. Play Fishy Fishy Sharky Sharky or Minnows and Sharks during recess.

2. For snacktime, mix up some gummy sharks and blue Jello or a watermelon shark.

3. PBS Parents has cooked up a shark-themed coding game for women's history month.

4. TeacherVision is a great resource for classrooms, from biographical worksheets on Eugenie Clark, to shark matching pages.

5. Learn more about Eugenie Clark at The Marine Laboratory & Aquarium or read her bio on National Geographic, published after her death.

6. Take a field trip to The Georgia Aquarium or a facility near you.

7. Check out these and more Perfect Picture Books at your local library.

Reviewed by Maria

Reviewed by Penny

Reviewed by Sue

Reviewed by Vivian

Reviewed by Joanne

Reviewed by Susanna

Have you reviewed a Perfect Picture Book along this theme? Please leave the link in the comments below. Thanks!

Check out all the recommended titles for Perfect Picture Book Friday
for Friday, April 13, 2018 available on Susanna Leonard Hill's blog.

*As a CYBILS second round judge, I was asked to review a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.